Undivided
by Meg0613
Summary: Set post season 14 and JJ's confession. Where do JJ, Will, and Reid go from here? I do my best to respect all three characters. I've gotten A LOT of feedback on this, both positive and negative, and I completely understand in JJ and Reid aren't your thing but this is a JJ and Ried ship story so if they aren't your thing there are plenty of other stories to read and life is short.
1. Chapter 1

Undivided

_Set after the finale of season 14. _

Will looked across the kitchen at JJ who was giving the pretense of washing the dishes but was spending more time staring through the window with that familiar far off look in her eyes. It was a look that he knew all too well, it was her Spencer Reid look. He could always tell when something was wrong with Reid, when a case had affected him badly, or if Reid had been in danger by the look that was on her face when she returned home. Sometimes the look was gone the next morning, other times it would last a few days, last year when Reid had been in trouble he began to believe the look would be permanent. In truth though she had not been the same since all of that, they had not been the same.

"Penny for your thoughts." He said coming up and putting his arms around her waist.

She smiled as she turned to him kissing him softly, "I was think about Rossi and Krystal wondering if they were having a good time on their honeymoon."

Will knew that wasn't the truth but he also knew he didn't want to hear her speak the truth. There are only so many times a man can hear his wife admit she is thinking about another man, no matter the nature of their relationship.

"Speaking of a honeymoon, I was thinking what if you and I went away for a few days?" He asked her.

JJ blinked in surprise, "What about the boys?" She questioned.

"Your mom could watch them for a weekend. It would be good for them, it would be good for us JJ." He pressed her to agree.

"All right, let's do it. A weekend just the two of us, yes I think that it's a good idea." She agreed. Will kissed her but not before he watched the look cross her eyes, and he wondered what about them going away had caused her to think about Reid.

RJRJRJRJRJRJRJRJRJ

"Will I'm sorry I really am, go ahead and leave the boys with mom and I will meet you there. I can't control how long it takes to fly home from California" Reid overheard JJ on the phone as they were settling in on the jet for the flight home.

"Everything all right?" Reid asked her. He had been doing his best to keep things as normal as possible between them since their last case, after she had been forced to confess that she had always loved him. Despite how he felt about her he would never act on it, he would never do anything to harm her marriage or cause pain for her boys.

She offered him half a smile and tucked her hair behind her ear, her tell that she didn't want to say something. "Yeah, Will and I are supposed to on our way to the beach for the weekend, my mom is keeping the boys and of course we are going to be late getting home."

Reid nodded, "I'm glad you guys are getting away." He told her before putting his headphones in and closing his eyes for the rest of the flight. He was trying but there was still only so much he wanted to hear and probably only so much she wanted to say.

When the jet landed JJ made her way off quickly trying to catch a flight that would put her in to Virginia Beach before breakfast. She just made the flight settling into another plane this time alone for the first time in weeks and she allowed tears to fall from her eyes silently as she looked out the window. She wasn't even completely sure why she was crying. Was she crying because Will was upset that she was late? Was it because Spence hadn't spoken to her the entire flight home? Was it because there was a man waiting for her that for ten years had given her every part of him and as much as she had tried she had been unable to do the same? Or was it because another man loved her family enough to let her walk away after confessing her love to him? The truth was she didn't believe she deserved either man and the longer she lived this was the less she did.

The flight from DC to Virginia Beach was short, she caught an Uber and gave the driver the address Will had texted her. He had rented them a small bungalow right on the beach for the weekend. The sun was just coming up when she arrived at the house and was surprised to find Will already up sitting on the front porch.

"Hi." She said placing her bag down and sitting next to him on the steps. "Sorry I'm late." She added leaning her head on his shoulder.

"It's all right, did you get any sleep on the plane?" He asked her placing a kiss on top of her head.

"A little, I could use a shower more than sleep, and food I could definitely use some breakfast." She commented.

Will stood up and pulled her up with him, "Well then why don't you go shower and I'll make us some breakfast and then we can decide what we want to do."

"Sounds perfect." She kissed him and couldn't help but notice he made no effort to lengthen the kiss but made his way to the kitchen.

JJ tried to let the thoughts of the case and Reid wash away in the shower promising herself that she would give Will all of her this weekend. She turned off the shower, dried, and found the suitcase that Will had packed her. She pulled on a t-shirt and pair of shorts and joined her husband in the kitchen where breakfast was waiting for her.

"It looks great." She said sitting down at the table, they made comfortable small talk as they ate, Will filling her on the boys week and his week at work.

"So what do we want to do with the rest of our weekend?" She asked him as she was placing dishes in the dishwasher and she felt a plate slip from her hands and crash on the floor as he answered her.

"JJ I want a divorce." Will said flatly.

"I'm sorry, what?" She asked staring at him in disbelief.

"I want a divorce Jennifer, I can't do this anymore." He explained softly.

"Do what anymore? Our family? Our marriage? Love me?" She asked angry tears forming in her eyes.

"Jennifer Jareau, you know our boys mean everything to me and I will always love you, but I cannot go on like this anymore." He told her.

"On like what?" She asked still in disbelief.

"Sharing you." He said coldly.

"Sharing me? With my work? I have offered to quit more times that I can count, but you always tell me that my work is too important and that I need to keep on." She argued.

"It's not your work, I can't keep sharing you with him." Will said raising his voice.

"With Spence? This is about Spence? Will, Spence is my friend that is all." She said wondering if the words sounded more convincing than they felt saying them.

"JJ the fact that you didn't even have to ask who I was talking about says it all." He explained tears beginning to form in his eyes.

"Will, I have never and would never be unfaithful to you." She spoke honestly.

"I know that JJ, I know you have always done your best to be faithful to me, to our relationship, but that doesn't change the fact that you love another man." He reasoned.

"Will, I love you." She whispered, "What do you want me to do leave the BAU? I will, tell me what to do not to lose you."

Will walked over to her, "Can you look me in the eyes and say that you don't love him? That your heart won't always be divided between him and me?"

"It's a different way that I love him Will, like a sister. Can't you understand that?" She begged.

"I use to believe that JJ, that's how I was able to take it for so long, but last year when Reid went to prison I realized it wasn't that. I thought that if Reid didn't make it you wouldn't' either, you never really came back to me after that." Will explained. "I should have realized it years ago. If you had loved me the way I loved you I wouldn't have had to fight so hard to get you to be mine in the first place. The truth is you were in love with Reid when we met and that never changed."

"I did fall in love with you Will." JJ Whispered.

"You grew to love me and the life we built, you never fell in love with me Jennifer, not the kind of love that you have for him. We had almost called it quits before the incident at the bank and you told me to ask you to marry me again." He reminded her.

"We could go to counseling." She suggested Will moved her closer to her and pulled her to himself, "Jennifer we are past that point, I love you and I always will but I need to move on."

JJ moved from his arms avoiding the broken plate on the floor and sat down at the table. "So what do we do now?"

"I want to make this as easy as possible on you and the boys. There is a house for rent the next street over, it would be easy for us to share custody, and Henry would even be able to ride the same bus to school." He explained.

"How long have you been planning this?" She asked in disbelief.

"I've been thinking about it for a couple of months now." He confessed.

"So this weekend was just a way to let me down easy?" She asked angrily.

Will shook his head, "No, I still wasn't sure until you were gone this week and I wondered what JJ would come back to me the one who seemed to be in love with me or the one or was distracted by thoughts of Spencer Reid."

"When do you want to move out?" She asked coming to the realization his mind was made up.

"I put a security deposit down on the other house yesterday before I came here. I can move in at the first of the month. I would like to stay at the house until then if that's all right, for the boys."

"It's your house Will of course you can stay there." She laughed in disbelief. "I think I'm going to go for a walk now." She said pushing her way back from the table.

An hour later when JJ returned to the house she found Will once again sitting on the front porch waiting for her.

"I don't suppose you've reconsidered your decision?" She asked not knowing for sure what answer she wanted him to give.

"No, but I was hoping we could take this weekend to talk about how things might work. Where we go from here, how to make it easiest on the boys." He told her.

JJ sat down next to him and studied him for a while, "I never deserved you William LaMontagne." She confessed,

"That's not true JJ, you loved me the best that you could and you gave me the best gifts that I could have ever asked for. I do not regret one moment of the last ten years or one decision that I made." Hw assured her.

"Neither do I Will, I hope you know I would have always chosen our family first." She told him.

"I know that JJ, but you couldn't just choose me and that's what I can't live with anymore." He spoke softly.

She silently nodded her head having no more need for argument, "So where do we start."

They spent the day talking about how things would work, where the boys would stay when, how they would work living in two different houses with their jobs and the boys. They talked about how and what they would tell the boys. Shortly before sunset Will stood up, "I think I should go now." He announced.

"Home?" JJ asked wondering if she was supposed to go with him.

"No, I have a hotel room for tonight. I thought you could use some space to think." He explained.

JJ had to smile that was Will, even in telling her that their marriage was over he was still thinking about what she would need. "I'll call you in the morning and we can ride home together if you want."

JJ nodded still trying to take it all in as she watched him gather a few things and head to the door. She remained motionless on the couch for a while, unable to complete a thought. Then the tears came and it seemed they would never stop. She cried for herself, for Will, for Henry and Michael, and yes she cried for Spence. She had no idea how they would make this work, she wondered how long until her boys learned the truth and blamed her. She wondered what her team would say, and if Spence would blame himself. At some point she fell asleep and awoke to her buzzing phone, Garcia's name on the screen.

"Ok, no, no problem, I'll be on the first flight, I'll see you all there." She responded to news of a case in Ohio. She sent a text to Will, _Case in Ohio flying straight there, see you at home, I'm sorry Will. _

Six hours later she was walking into a police station in Akron to meet up with her team.

Spence was of course the first one to meet her, "Hey, how was the beach, did you and Will have a good time?" He asked earnestly.

"Well no not really." She began looking at him, the floor, back at him, and tucking her hair behind her ear before she spoke again, "Will is divorcing me." She explained before pushing past him to join the rest of their team leaving a shocked Spencer Reid in the doorway.

TBC

A/N Welcome to my first CM fic, to be honest I'm scared to write for a show that I've loved for so long. I completely shipped JJ and Reid to start the show and I never felt a lot of chemistry to between she and Will (or maybe the actor who plays him?). However I do love all three characters and want to respect all three characters in this story.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter Two

"JJ wait" Reid called after her trying to catch her before she joined the others in the conference room. "Can we talk?"

"Spence we have three missing children, this is not the time to talk about my marriage." She snapped back at him.

"Six missing children, there was a previous case that fits with this one last month." He explained knowing that she was correct it wasn't the time to talk about anything else. This morning eight year old twin girls along with their ten year old brother were abducted from their church parking lot. The previous month another sibling group was taken from a different church on the other side of the city.

"All right what do we know?' Emily asked as they studied the board.

"Both abductions were at a church after services were over a time when parents typically have their guard down." Tara spoke first.

"So is it a location of convince or is there a religious component?' Luke wondered aloud. "Both times it was sibling groups of three children there has to be a connection to that." He continued.

"The kidnapper never reached out to the first set of parents and have yet to reach out this most recent one. So we can rule our money as a motive." JJ finally spoke up.

"Same number of children, in a similar location, sounds like someone is trying to replace children." Reid commented.

"I'll have Garcia start looking for sibling groups that went missing, or were killed." Emily said picking up her phone. "Reid and Tara you two go to scene from this morning, Luke and Rossi go back to the first church. JJ and I will stay here and talk to both families and people who know them." She instructed her team.

"Have Penelope see if any of the cases she find have a religious component to them." Reid added before following Tara out of the conference room.

Reid ad Tara were at the second church when Emily called them, they had a lead of a woman named Miranda Williams whose children had died in a church fire the previous year, they had an address on her. Emily. JJ and the rest of the team met them there. The woman was gone but they found the three children from this morning locked in a storage shed, but there was no sign of the other children.

"They were here earlier but she said it was time for them to go to church." The oldest boy told them.

"She's taking them to the church that burnt down." Reid said at once. "It won't end well if we don't get their quickly."

As predicted when they arrived at the other church the children were jeopardy. Williams had them tied together and was holding a gas can.

"JJ, you talk to her first mother to mother." Emily instructed. JJ nodded adjusting her vest and walking towards the scene. Rossi and Luke made their way around back.

"Miranda, my name is JJ I am with the FBI and I want to talk to you." JJ said in a quiet nonthreatening tone. "I know what happened to your children and I am so sorry, but you don't want these children to get hurt do you?"

"I need my babies back." Miranda began to shout.

"I understand that, but hurting them won't bring yours back. Their mother wants to see them again. She loves them just like you do your babies." JJ explained.

"But she wasn't watching them, she should have been watching them. A good mother always watches her babies." Miranda cried the gas can in her hands shaking.

JJ spotted Luke coming up from behind, "OK well we will make sure she takes better care of them but first I need you to put the gas can down. All right" JJ said inching closer reaching her hand out for the can and quickly snatching it just as Luke moved to tackle Miranda.

Within an hour all six children were reunited with their parents at the hospital. The team finished up their work and headed to the airport. "Good work today guys, six children will all be back home tonight, we don't' get too many cases that end this well." Emily commended them as they left the station.

Reid was the first one on the jet and settled himself into a seat in the back and was genuinely surprised when JJ came and sat down next to him. He understood though sitting next to him meant not answering questions about her weekend away with Will that would surely come up from the team. Despite their promises to not profile each other it was still next to impossible to give half-truths to each other, they all knew each other too well. It was late at night and when the plane took off the cabin lights were dimmed, Reid softly reached for her hand and took it in his own. She made no attempt to move it as she looked over at him with a slight broken smile as she was fighting back tears.

"It's ok, it's all ok." He repeated his words from Rossi's wedding. She laid her head on his shoulder knowing that in truth nothing was OK, but he was still sitting there and that made things better. She slept most of the flight home and he woke her before they landed.

"Sorry, I didn't mean to use you as a pillow the entire flight." She apologized.

"It wasn't a problem." He smiled at her.

"What time is it?" She asked feeling completely disoriented from the back and forth travel and events of the weekend.

"It's just after midnight, did you text Will to let him know you were on your way?" He asked,

JJ shook her head, "No, I told him I would see him tomorrow. "

"JJ can we go somewhere and talk, please?" He whispered as the others were beginning to take notice of them. Before she could answer Alvez was grabbing his bag from next to them and Emily was calling to them. They disembarked the plane unable to have another moment together. Reid tossed his bag in the trunk if his car, got behind the wheel and felt his phone buzz. He slipped it from his pocket and read her message.

_I"ll meet you at your place_

Reid nodded to himself as he pulled his car out of the lot thankful that they would at least have the opportunity to talk about everything that had happened. He was still shocked that Will had asked her for a divorce. Reid refused to let himself be in anyway the cause of ending their marriage. He would leave the BAU if he had to, cut off all contact with her no matter how much it hurt him. He loved her and her boys and he had the most respect for Will, he would not let them throw away what they have.

He had been home for almost twenty minutes when he she finally knocked on the door. He had begun to wonder if she had changed her mind. When he opened the door she was holding a bag that clearly contained a bottle of wine.

"I knew you wouldn't have any." She explained stepping past him into his apartment.

"I'll find you the corkscrew and make myself some coffee." He answered.

JJ sat at the breakfast bar in his kitchen while he made his coffee. "So it's been some week." She said with a nervous laugh.

"JJ, I'm sorry I asked you what I did at Rossi's wedding. It wasn't fair to put you in that situation." He apologized, "If that has something to do with Will…" he started but she cut him off.

"He knows Spence." JJ told him flatly knowing it would be pointless to beat around the bush with him.

'What is it he thinks he knows JJ?" He asked her

"Are you really going to make me say it again Spence?" She asked him

Reid looked away from her, "I mean does he think that we are sleeping together?"

JJ shook her head, "No, he says that he knows I wouldn't be unfaithful in that way. He just says he can't share me anymore."

"Then I'll leave the BAU, I'll teach fulltime." Reid offered quickly.

"It's not enough Spence, he knows that we are too connected." She explained tears forming in her eyes.

"JJ, I can't do this, I can't be the reason Henry and Michael lose their family." Reid spoke emphatically.

"I don't think there is much either of can do at this point." She responded finishing her first glass of wine a pouring another. "He's already found another house, he's been thinking about it for a while."

"Maybe a separation would help, maybe it will give him some clarity," Reid offered.

"Damn it, Spence do you not get it my marriage is over because my husband knows that I am in love with another man, that I have always have been, and always will be, there is no fixing that." She yelled slamming her glass down and getting up to leave. "Great going Jennifer you manage to love two men but neither of them want you and one of them has never been in love with you." She reprimanded herself as she made her way to the door. She was gathering her purse and her hand was on the knob when she heard him speak.

"Jennifer, I never said that I don't want you and I certainly never said that I am not in love with you." He confessed his voice firm but not angry.

She turned slowly back to him, "You have never said that you do or that you are." She whispered tears falling freely down her face.

"What do you want from me Jennifer? For over a decade you have been in a relationship with a man that can offer you everything that I can't. Will can give you safety and security, he understands how to make you feel loved, he's the best father two boys could ever want. If I loved you the most loving thing I could do would be to let you have a life like that. JJ my mental health is shaky on a good day, I have virtually no experience in a relationship, and I certainly have no idea how to raise a family. Wishing you a happy life with Will and the boys is how I can love you."

"Spence…" She said closing the space between them and wrapping her arms around him. "Please just say it, I need to hear you say it even if this is the only time."

She felt him breathe in before his voice regained its composure, "I love you JJ, I have since before I understood what it meant to be in love with someone and I always will." He tilted her head up so he could look in her eyes. 'I mean it Jennifer I love you, but if there is any chance for you and Will I want you to make it work."

She nodded as she offered him a half smile, "I know you do and it is part of why I love you Spence, but I am certain my marriage it over. It has been for a while."

Reid carefully slipped from her arms and walked over to his window, "So where does that leave us?" He asked.

"I don't know right at the moment." She admitted, "I know whatever comes of us wont' be easy and I feel like if we are going to have a chance I need to make sure I end things the right way with Will." She explained.

Reid nodded in agreement, "I'm not going anywhere and I'm not going to push you, just know that I am here." He watched her tuck her hair behind her ear and could tell she wanted to say something, "What is it?"

"I was wondering if I could stay here tonight. In your guest room. I'm just not ready to go home and face it all yet." She confessed.

Reid crossed the room to her pulling her into a hug again, "You are welcome here anytime, JJ." He told her as he placed a kiss on top of her head.

Reid carried her suitcase to the guest room, "Can I get you anything?"

"Honestly I just want to go to sleep, thank you Spence." She answered.

"All right then, I'll see you in the morning." He told her and headed off to shower. When he got out of the shower he walked by the guest room and the door was still slightly open and he noticed she was sitting up in bed. "Jennifer, are you all right?"

"I was just thinking about what comes next how there are going to be a lot of tears and hard moments before all of this is over." She confessed.

Reid entered the room and lifted the covers and sat next to her, "All of those things will be there in the morning, just sleep tonight." He told her settling them both against the pillows and turning off the lamp next on the bedside table.

JJ woke to the sun streaming across an empty bed the next morning, she wondered at what point Reid had left her. She could hear him in the kitchen and she quickly dressed and made her way to join him. He was sitting in his window seat with a cup of coffee and his journal.

"Good morning." She greeted him softly not wanting to disturb him too quickly.

"Good morning." He answered her with a smile making room on the window seat.

She sat down next to him and noticed a peculiar expression on his face, "What is it?" She inquired.

He looked out the window as he answered her, "So many mornings I've sat here and pictured you there and being able to start my day with you, and now you are here and I am glad, glad for the honesty between us, but I also feel guilty." He admitted.

JJ settled back against him, "I know what you mean and I can't make any promises of what comes next, but I know it feels like for the first time in a long time I'm not lying to myself or the people that I love."

That sat together in a comfortable silence for a while, Reid feeling somewhat surprised how quickly he learned exactly how she fit best into his arms. "I'm due at Quantico in a couple of hours, but if you want to stay after I leave you are welcome too." He told her.

JJ sat up and shook her head, "No it's time I get home and begin to deal with all of this. I owe it to Will to make this as easy as possible."

Reid nodded in understanding, smiling when he felt her wrap her fingers around his, "How long will you be there?" She asked.

"Two weeks, but you can call anytime." He told her. "Jennifer I need you to promise me something."

"What?" she asked

He leaned forward and moved her hair back from her face, "Promise me that if you still think there's a chance for you and Will you will take it."

She took his face in her hands, "Only if you promise me something."

"What?" He asked growing increasingly anxious at their proximity.

"That you will work on understanding that none of this is your fault and that we cannot help that we love each other." She told him.

"JJ, remember last night when you questioned if I wanted you? I can honestly say I have never wanted anything more than I want to kiss you right now." He whispered and she smiled and moved back from him.

"But I know you aren't going to. Are you?" She asked.

"We can't, you have too much to figure out first and that's not something that I want either of us to regret." He told her.

She took his hands in hers and kissed them, "I should go. I'll see you when you get back from Quantico." She collected her purse from the couch where she had dropped it the previous night.

"Jennifer" He called after her.

"What?" she asked turning back to him smiling at him.

"I love you."

TBC


	3. Chapter 3

Undivided

Chapter Three

JJ arrived home that morning to find Will and the boys off to work and daycare. As she stood in the empty house she tried to picture it without Will. She tried to imagine just herself and the boys and felt her heart begin to sink. She wondered what she would do when a case broke at the last minute, what if one of the boys was sick. How would she and Will work out custody? There were so many things to think about. She made a quick decision, took a deep breath, and called Emily.

"Hey JJ what's up? Looking for something to do with your day off?" She asked answering the phone.

'No, Em, I need to ask for some time off, some personal leave." She explained.

"Of course, JJ is everything all right? Are the boys OK?" Emily asked with concern.

"The boys are fine but no everything isn't all right, Will has asked me for a divorce." She answered wondering how many more times she would have to say those words.

"What JJ? Are you sure? Wait, does he have someone else?" Emily ever the big sister questioned.

"No, he's not seeing anyone, it's not that. I can't really explain it all right now but I will try to when I have things a little more figured out myself." She said knowing Emily would be the first one to know about anything involving her and Spence for a variety of reasons. "Right now I just need a couple of weeks to spend getting the boys through this."

"Of course take all the time you need and you know that I'm here whenever you are ready to talk. I love you." Emily told her.

"Love you too Em, thank you." She replied hanging up the phone.

Will was out on a case late that night so JJ helped Henry with his homework, fixed dinner and got the boys to bed. She wondered if this is what her new normal would feel like once Will moved out. Then she thought about what would happen when they boys were gone to his new house and she was home without them, she pushed the thought as far from her mind as she could.

Eventually she decided to go to bed not knowing when Will would be home or how they were supposed to act around each other when he got home. She could not help feel a little guilty for spending the night at Spence's the night before and even more for sharing a bed with him even though nothing had happened. Tonight though as she laid in her and Will's bed she felt immense sense of longing for the arms that had held her the previous night. She thought about calling Spence but decided against it she needed to give her attention to her family right now and whatever future she or Spence might have didn't need to be confused in the emotions with ending her marriage.

Over the next two weeks there were lots of difficult conversations and decisions that had to be made. The hardest part of course was telling the boys. They took them together to visit Will's new house that was less than a mile away they even shopped together for new items for the boy's rooms in the new house. Finally the Saturday came for Will to move out, JJ took the boys out for the day to the park and then for pizza. When they got home the house seemed so quiet and empty, they all piled into her bed and the boys fell asleep watching a movie. After the boys were asleep she slipped from her bed and walked through the house. It was such an odd sight, all of Will's things gone but his presence was still there. There were pictures of them as a family on the mantel yet she had removed their wedding picture. She heard her phone buzz from the counter and was surprised to see Spence's name. They had talked very little over the last two weeks.

"Hey." She answered with a mix of emotion.

"I was just checking to see how today went for you and the boys." He told her.

She let out a sigh as she settled herself on the couch, "It was hard but we made it through." She told him honestly. "When are you coming back from Quantico?"

"I came home this morning." He told her, "I'll be back with the BAU on Monday, What about you? When are you going back?"

"Monday also, I don't really feel ready, but I imagine it is like when the boys were born and I didn't feel ready then either." She explained, "The boys will spend two nights a week at Will's house and Olivia (their nanny) has agreed to be on call for both of us."

"How are you doing JJ?" He asked.

She sighed again, "Honestly, I don't know. I'm sad, I'm disappointed in myself, I feel like I have let my boys and Will down. Then…"She hesitated.

"Then what?" He pressed.

"Then in the middle of all those other emotions I think about you, and I miss you, then I feel even guiltier." She confessed.

"I miss you too, and I understand the guilt that's one reason I've tried to keep my distance." He told her.

"I know, but I could really use my best friend." She said a mix of emotions in her voice.

"Do you want me to come over tomorrow?" He asked.

"No, I think I need one more day with the boys. I'll see you at work on Monday." She answered.

"All right, I'll see you Monday, call me if you need me." He told her before hanging up.

She went back upstairs scooting the boys over to give her some space in the bed letting his words roll over and over in her head. For so long she had tried to not need or want Spencer Reid that she didn't honestly know how to move forward in this new life where it was all right to do those things.

The next few weeks life slowly began to slip into a new normal. It was strange because one part of her life was completely unchanged. They all had learned long ago how to block out the personal when on a case and right now that was a gift. She had worried there would be an awkwardness between she and Spence while they worked but again it was like nothing had changed. She often wondered if their relationship moved forward if that would change. So far though neither of them had made any steps in that direction. Until one Friday about a month after Will had moved out. They were walking out of the BAU and alone in the parking garage by JJ's car when Reid spoke.

"So they boys are with Will this weekend right?" He asked her.

"Yeah, until Sunday night." She said and there was no missing the sadness in her voice.

Reid nodded then suddenly became nervous, "Well this weekend is the last weekend of the Cherry Blossom Festival, we could go if you want."

JJ looked up and smiled at him, "Spence are you asking me out on our first date?" She teased.

"Well technically it will be our second date, but I don't think in fourteen years I have gotten any better at this." He laughed uncomfortably.

She smiled at him, "That's all right and yes, I would love to go to the festival with you."

"All right then, I'll pick you up around ten." He told her still feeling nervous.

"See you in the morning Spence." She told him with a smile before getting into her car.

The next morning JJ was the one to feel nervous as she tried to settle on an outfit which she told herself was ridiculous because Spence had seen her in just about every state possible. It was a date however and the first thing she had really felt excited about in a really long time. It was the middle of April and the weather was beginning to warm so she decided on a dress and pair of sandals. She had just finished her hair and makeup when she heard the doorbell ring she opened it to find Spence standing there in khakis and a polo shirt holding with a bouquet of flowers.

"Spence, you didn't have to…" She started but he cut her off.

"You look beautiful." He breathed out still unsure that he was allowed to say the words he had thought so many times.

JJ felt herself blush, "Thank you, and thank you for the flowers. Come on in." She stepped aside and he came in and she began to look for a vase. Spence watched her as she moved about her kitchen. He had been in her house countless times but this felt entirely different. She finished arranging the flowers and smiled at him so many emotions swirling through her at that moment, so many questions about her life but for now she was thankful to have him there.

They spent the day strolling through the festival and the different exhibits Spence telling her about more and more about Japanese culture and history. Even after all of these years she never ceased to be amazed by everything that he knew. At some point as they were walking through the trees along the basin she felt him take her hand in his and she smiled up at him.

"This is all right?" He asked her still unsure.

"It's more than all right." She told him.

As the day went on the festival began to grow more crowded they made they found one of the out of the way stages where a local cover band was playing and sat on the grass to listen. JJ leaned back against Spence smiling when she felt him relax. They sat through several songs until she felt him begin to look around.

"What's up?" She asked him as he was standing up.

"Would you like to dance?" He asked and JJ was certain she had never seen him more nervous than in that moment.

"Yes" She answered him moving into his arms. It wasn't the first time they had danced, they had danced at her wedding, at Morgan's and several occasions throughout the years, but this time was different. Things that had for so long had been left unsaid were now spoken between them. JJ pushed the questions from her mind they would be there on another day for now she just allowed herself to feel the warmth of this new thing between them. She listened to the words of the song almost as if they had been written for them.

_I gotta take a little time, a little time to think things over_

_I better read between the lines, in case I need it when I'm older_

_Now this mountain I must climb, feels like the world upon my shoulders_

_Through the clouds I see love shine, it keeps me warm as life grows colder_

_In my life there's been heartache and pain_

_I don't know if I can face it again_

_Can't stop now, I've traveled so far, to change this lonely life_

_I want to know what love is, I want you to show me_

_I want to feel what love is, I know you can show me_

_I'm gonna take a little time, a little time to look around me_

_I've got nowhere left to hide, it looks like love has finally found me_

She felt Reid stop moving and raised her head off his chest and looked up at him meeting his eyes and trying to understand the look in them.

"I love you JJ." He said for the first time since that morning in his apartment, then he titled her chin up studying her face a little longer and JJ knew exactly what he was thinking. There with the sun setting among the cherry blossoms he was trying to get his nerve up to kiss her.

"It's all right Spence." She whispered.

"I know, I just want to remember everything about this moment." He told her.

"Spence you have an eidetic memory," She laughed, "Now would you please kiss me."

He slowly pressed his lips against hers taking in the softness and taste of her lips wondering how he would ever move on from this moment. Slowly letting her go as the song ended and she laid her head against his chest and he knew she could hear just how fast his heart was beating. The sun was setting and she lazily ran a finger down her arm and realized she was cold. "Come on let's go get some dinner." He said picking up his jacket and draping it over her shoulders smiling when she leaned into him and he wrapped an arm around her as they walked back to his car.

JJ suggested that they pick up dinner and take it back to her house. So they were settled on her couch eating Chinese food out of take-out containers. JJ was sitting with her feet tucked under her as she at her shrimp. Spence watched her thinking that today was the first time he had really seen her smile since all of this started.

"What?" She asked as she caught him watching her and not listening to what she had been saying.

"Sorry, I was just thinking that it's good to see you smile. I haven't seen that a lot lately." He told her honestly.

JJ nodded, "It's been a long few weeks, but today has been really nice. I hope we don't wait another fourteen years." She added with a laugh.

Spence paused for a minute before he answered her, "You know this is all new to me right. This whole dating thing, right? There is a significant chance I won't be very good at it."

JJ smiled, "Well if today is any indication you are doing all right."

"Yes, but I've never had this kind of relationship before JJ, not that I am completely sure what it is, I just don't want to mess it up, and I don't want to rush you." He explained.

JJ took both of his hands in hers, "Spence, nothing about our relationship is normal or traditional, neither of us have done this before. I am in the middle of a divorce with two boys to take care of so I can't rush into anything. We have fourteen years of history, know some of the deepest parts of each other, yet we just had our second date. At the same time I know that I love you and I want to see where this goes. We'll take it slow and you just keep being you because that is who I have loved all of these years." She assured him.

Spence took one of his hands and ran it through her hair, "I never thought we would get a chance to see what could be between us. We will go as slow as it needs to be until we figure out what this is. In the mean time I would really like to kiss you again." Before he could move JJ's lips were on his kissing him slowly and tenderly.

"I might need some more practice at that." Reid confessed as that sat on her couch with their foreheads pressed together after she pulled her lips back from his.

"We have plenty of time Spence, plenty of time." She laughed feeling like for the first time in a while things might be on the right track.

TBC


	4. Chapter 4

Reid looked across the aisle of the jet where JJ was sitting with Emily, they were flying back from New Mexico after apprehending a man who was kidnapping and murdering college students. It had been a month since their date to the Cherry Blossom Festival and other than a couple of quick dinners they hadn't managed to spend much time together since then, their caseload had been heavy as usual and JJ had been spending as much time as possible with the boys which Reid did not want to interfere with. Then there was Sunday breakfast, JJ, the boys, and Will had breakfast together every Sunday, it was their way of letting the boys know that even though they weren't still living together they were still together as parents. Reid would do nothing to disturb that but if he was honest he would admit he was jealous that Will got a standing date with her and they had to squeeze moments in wherever they could.

She must have felt his eyes on her because she looked over at him with a smile, it wasn't her usual smile. It was a new smile she gave him now, the way she smiled when he brought her flowers or held her hand, or when she would find one of the notes he would sneak somewhere for her to find. He was always careful to place them somewhere that nobody else would find them. By the look on her face, he figured he found the one she had placed in the pocket of her sweater.

_You haven't slept in thirty-six hours, put your headphones in turn on your music and go to sleep. You can come over when we land if you want._

She nodded at him before placing her headphones in, he watched as her eyes closed then popped back open when the music began. A smile spread back across her face and she closed her eyes again, careful not to look back at him sure that they would draw attention from someone else on the plane. He had created a new playlist on her phone of soft relaxing music including the song they had danced to at the festival a month ago. She let her mind drift back to that perfect moment and the way that he had held her, how nervous he had been before he kissed her. They had had such little time together since then away from work but Spence was still doing his best to let her know he was there waiting for her. She was glad that it was Friday night and the boys would be at Will's until breakfast on Sunday.

They arrived back at the BAU and everyone wished each other a restful weekend she watched as Spence made his way to the elevator and began to do the same hoping they could catch one by themselves and make dinner plans. She stopped short when she heard Penelope call her.

"Hey JJ, doesn't Will have the boys this weekend? You want some girl time? I could come over with ice cream and booze and keep you company?" she offered.

JJ smiled and tucked her hair behind her ear, "Maybe next time Penelope, I am beat and just want some take out, a hot shower, and sleep." She told her which was mostly true.

Penelope nodded understanding, "Just know if you ever need company I'm here."

JJ nodded, "Thank you." She turned back to the elevator where Spence was waiting to ride down with her, a common occurrence that wouldn't arouse suspicion from anyone. The elevator doors closed behind them and she quickly reached for his hand.

"JJ," He said with alarm, "Cameras." He whispered.

She sighed and let it go knowing he was right, "Thank you for my music."

A broad smile crossed his face, "You're welcome, does that mean I can tempt you with take out and a shower at my place? You could go on ahead I'll pick up dinner." He offered.

The elevator doors opened and JJ nodded, "See you soon." Was all she said as there were other people in the parking garage.

Twenty minutes later she was letting herself into Spence's apartment, it wasn't the first time she had been in it without him but somehow it felt different now. She carefully placed her bag down and walked into the kitchen for a glass of water. She slowly made her way into Spence's bedroom to look for a towel. She paused for a minute feeling like somehow she was intruding on his space or crossing some kind of line. Which was silly she told herself it was just a room and she needed a towel and he had told her to come to his place and shower. She went into the bathroom and turned the water on standing under the steamy water allowing the thoughts of the case to wash away and turn her thoughts to the man whose shower she was in. She was ready for some time with him away from the eyes of their team or even a public restaurant where they still had to be extremely discreet. What surprised JJ the most in their relationship was how much she craved his physical touch. There had always been a strong physical chemistry between them but since they had started this phase of their relationship she found herself longing to feel his arms around her or his hand holding hers, or the softness of his lips when he would kiss her goodnight.

When she turned the water off she realized she had left her bag in the living room. She quickly debated her options and decided it would be better to grab a shirt of Spence's than to walk through his apartment in just a towel. She quickly found an old FBI t-shirt and threw it on and dashed for the living room for her bag.

"JJ are you ready to eat?" She heard him call out and the door shut behind him they both stopped as he took in the sight of her standing in his living room her hair still dripping wearing nothing but his shirt. His eyes ran her settling briefly on where his shirt stopped revealing most of her legs, there was no hiding his desire when their eyes finally met.

"I forgot my bag." She explained feebly.

"I see, I got dinner." He offered holding up the bags of food.

"I'll go change." She said turning to back to the bathroom.

"JJ…" He called after her.

"Yeah?" she answered feeling awkward for the first time since this had started.

"You don't have to change." He offered, "I like it."

JJ felt herself blush as she reached the bathroom and leaving the shirt on simply pulled on a pair of leggings under it. She returned to the kitchen where he was setting out food for them. She nervously reached for her glass of water when she felt his hands on her hips and she slowly turned around to face him.

"What's going on you're acting nervous." He asked.

"I don't know, I guess it just somehow felt…"She paused for a minute before continuing, "intimate, taking a shower in your shower, putting on your shirt, the way you looked at me, I think I wasn't prepared for it."

"I'm sorry if I made you uncomfortable JJ, it just caught me off guard, but I'm not going to say I didn't like seeing you like that. That I don't think about it." He confessed.

JJ felt herself blush again, "I think about it too, especially when I was standing in your shower, I suddenly wished I wasn't alone."

Now it was Spence's turn to blush, "Well maybe one day soon you won't be." He answered before claiming her lips for a kiss, unlike their others. Their other kisses had been sweet and tender this one conveyed the desire of two people who had spent years denying their attraction. His hands first in her hair roamed down her body back to her hips pulling her closer waiting to see if she pulled back and when she didn't he allowed one hand to grip her bottom. He wasn't sure which of them let out a moan but he slowly released her.

"Stay with me tonight." He whispered.

"Spence…"She whispered cautiously.

He opened a little distance between them, "No, not like that, I just want time with you, to talk freely, to hold you, and yes maybe a little more of that, who knows when we will have time together again."

JJ nodded in agreement, "I'll stay." She said before kissing him again, 'but first, you have to feed me." She said after she pulled apart from him.

They ate dinner and caught up on the last few weeks. JJ told him about how the boys were doing and the things that they had been up to, they were adjusting to the change in their family fairly well all things considered.

"I miss them, it's been too long," Spence said offhandedly.

JJ took his hand across the table, "I know, I have just been really protective of my time with them and I don't want to confuse them." She explained.

Reid nodded, "I understand and I trust you to know when the time is right."

JJ smiled, "Well, there's no reason you couldn't come to dinner one night this week if we don't get called away. You could even help Henry with his math homework, third grade is killing me." She laughed.

Reid beamed with excitement, "What's he studying? I want to make sure I am ready."

JJ laughed, "Spence, you have a Ph.D. in mathematics from MIT I am pretty sure you can handle third-grade math."

JJ cleaned up their dinner while Spence went to shower and change and had settled herself on the couch when he came back to the living room in a pair of sweatpants and t-shirt. They turned the TV to reruns of sitcoms and fell into a comfortable silence with JJ curled up next to his side. It didn't take long before they were both asleep together on the couch. Spence woke sometime later and debated his options. They could stay there, he could go to his bed and leave her, he could wake her and ask her where she wanted to sleep. He knew they both needed a better night's sleep than they would get on the couch, he slowly scooted out from behind her and off the couch. Once he was standing he bent down and took her in his arms and carried her to his bed. He laid her down carefully and crawled into the bed next to her pulling her to himself as he fell back to sleep.

Her eyes still closed JJ took in the scent of Spence before she was even fully awake the next morning, she felt the warmth of his arm around her, she carefully turned to face him moving his wavy brown hair from his face. The clock on the bedside table said ten and she wondered if he had ever slept that late before.

"Hey, sleepy head." She said softly running her hand down his arm. "It's time to wake up."

She watched as his eyes slowly blinked opened and his arm instinctively tightened around her pulling her closer to him.

"Good morning." He said sleepily, "What time is it?"

"It's ten o'clock." She told him and watched as his eyes flew open in disbelief.

"Is it really? I never sleep past five." He stated.

"I know, you must have needed it." She told him brushing his hair back again.

"Maybe it was the company." He said with a smile. "Do you want breakfast?" He asked her suddenly aware they were laying in each other's arms in his bed and that might not be what she wanted.

"Not yet." She answered with a smile before pulling him in for a kiss. The kiss picked up quickly to where the one the previous night had left off only this time it was morning and they were in his bed. Quickly JJ was on her back and Spence was leaning over her running his hands up her legs being at the same time grateful and frustrated by the barrier of her leggings. His hand settled on her hip and she arched into him at his touch. He pulled back and studied her face her eyes clouded with desire and her lips slightly swollen her hair a mess, and it took every bit of self-control he could muster to sit up in the bed next to her.

"I think we should go out to breakfast." He said breathlessly.

JJ bit her lip as she looked at him, "Spencer Reid where did you learn to kiss like that?"

Spence blushed, "I assure you that I have not been out practicing. I think it has something to do with waiting for fourteen years. And if we are going to wait any longer we really need to get out of my bed and probably out of the apartment too."

JJ Let out a giggle suddenly feeling like a teenager, "All right breakfast out it is then." She said walking to the living room to claim her bag and then to the bathroom to change.

They picked up bagels and coffee from the bakery down the street and found a place in the park to eat them. They watching families play and Spence allowed himself to think that there might be a time that he and JJ took her boys to the park together. They went to a movie and a late lunch before eventually ending back up at his apartment,

"I don't suppose I could talk you into staying tonight too." He asked hopefully.

JJ slid her arms around her neck, "I wish I could but I need to get ready for the week, plus breakfast tomorrow." She explained and felt him stiffen a little when she mentioned breakfast, 'What?" she asked.

"Nothing, it's nothing,' he answered.

"Spence, does it bother you that I'm having breakfast with Will tomorrow because it's what's best for my boys and that's always going to come first. It has nothing to do with Will and I and everything to do with Henry and Michael." She told him a little upset by his reaction.

Spence shook his head, "It doesn't bother me that you are having breakfast, I think it's great that you guys are trying to make this as easy as possible on the boys. I think I'm just a little jealous that he gets a standing date and I don't. I don't want to wait another month before I get to hold you again Jennifer before I can really talk to you, or be a part of your world outside of work."

JJ put a hand on his face, "I know, I don't want it to be as long either. We'll figure something out, let's start with dinner Tuesday night if we don't have a case and then go from there, all right?"

Spence kissed her softly, "Tuesday night then, I will brush up on my third-grade math."

JJ laughed, "If I don't get to say it to your face again for a while don't forget that I love you, Spencer Reid." She told him.

"I love you, call me before you go to sleep, all right?" He told her.

"See you at work then at dinner." She told him giving him one last kiss before leaving.

Spence watched her go, silently praying they didn't get a case before Tuesday.


	5. Chapter 5

Undivided

Chapter Five

Reid took a breath before ringing the doorbell to JJ's house, he had never been nervous around her boys before but it was his first time seeing them since Will had moved out, and he was well aware of just how perceptive kids could be. After taking a minute he rang the bell and felt instant relief when he heard the boys yell his name from inside the house.

"Uncle Spence! Uncle Spence!" They shouted in unison he knelt down opening his arms to accept the hugs they eagerly offered him.

"Did you bring magic tricks?" Michael asked

"Did you bring a book" Henry asked as Spencer had developed a habit of bringing him a new book each time he came over.

"Boys, let Spence get in the door." JJ admonished with a laugh.

"No, no, it's all right, I actually brought both, sort of." He told them reaching into his bag.

He pulled out a picture book about a magician and gave it to Michael who took it eagerly and ran off to the couch. He pulled out a second thicker book and gave it to Henry.

"Harry Potter! Can we read the first chapter tonight?" Henry asked excitedly.

Spencer glanced over at JJ who nodded with a smile. "How about after dinner while I'm putting Michael to bed." She suggested.

They moved through the house into the kitchen where JJ was still cooking dinner and Spencer spotted open school books on the table and crayons and paper where Michael had obviously been trying to act like his big brother.

"Does anyone need help with homework?" Spencer asked.

"I don't have homework, I'm only in Pre-k" Michael laughed.

"Do you know how to do multiplication the way we do it now, because mom always tries to tell me the old fashion way and my teacher says its wrong." Henry explained.

"Are you talking about associative, distributive, and cumulative properties?" Spencer asked him and JJ looked at him in amazement because that was exactly what he meant but she had no clue what any of it meant.

"Yes! Can you help me?" Henry asked.

"Of course, let's see what you have." He said as they sat down at the table.

Henry are Spencer worked on his homework while Michael moved on to building with his Legos in between problems. Spencer watched the boy building for a minute.

"What are you building Michael?" HE asked the younger boy.

"A house" he answered shortly.

"Oh, is it your house?" Spence prompted further.

"No, it's Daddy's new house. Did you know that he has a new house?" The boy asked Spencer.

"Yes, Mommy told me that. How do you feel about Daddy having a new house?"

"Sometimes sad, this is my room at Daddy's house." He said with three year old honesty as he pointed to a small section of his building.

"It's ok to be sad sometimes." Spence assured him.

"Uncle Spence, can you explain the distributive property again?" Henry asked.

"Of course what you need to do is…" Spencer began to explain somewhat relived for the change in subject.

They finished homework and dinner and the boys asked if Spencer would take them outside to play.

"Why don't we help your mom clean up first." He suggested and JJ smiled at him appreciating the offer.

"Just scrape the plates and then I can put them in the dishwasher later." She offered.

The boys quickly scraped the plates dropping them in the sink running for the backdoor calling for Spence to follow them. He smiled at JJ who quickly ran her hand down his arm squeezing his hand gently since the boys were out of sight, "You're doing great." She assured him. They played outside for a while until JJ reminded them that it was a school night and they needed to get ready for bed.

"And Uncle Spence and I need to start Harry Potter." Henry added enthusiastically running back to the living room where he had left his book. Spence joined him on the couch and opened the book and began to read. They were just finishing the chapter when JJ reappeared joining them in the living room.

"All right Henry bedtime." She told her older son.

"But Uncle Spence is here and he never comes over anymore." He protested.

"Henry you have school tomorrow and besides if we don't have a case Spence can come back over next week." She told him.

"You promise?" Henry asked Spencer.

"Promise." Spence told him.

"All right, good night Uncle Spence." He told him.

"Good night, Henry." He replied.

"I'll be back." JJ told him as she followed Henry to his room.

Spencer waited until they were upstairs and went to the kitchen to finish the dishes that they had left earlier. He was just putting the last of them away when he felt JJ slip her arms around him. He turned towards her placing his hands on her hips as she slid hers up to his shoulders.

"You do math homework, read Harry Potter, and are doing the dishes, I should have you over every night." She teased, "Seriously, thank you for tonight, it was wonderful."

"Are you kidding? Thank you for letting me be a part of this." He told her then cast a glance upstairs. "Is everyone asleep?'

JJ smiled at him, "Yep." She said before wrapping her arms around his neck and smiling into the kiss that was waiting for her. She slowly pulled back from the kiss and then led him outside to lounge chair in the backyard and motioned for him to sit down and she leaned back into him.

Spence ran his fingers through her hair breathing in the warm spring air that told them summer was almost here. "They seem to be doing well, you and Will are doing a great job getting them through this. The fact that Michael could so easily share his feelings says a lot." He commented but there was an uncomfortable pause at the end of his words.

"What aren't you saying Spence?" She pressed and he didn't miss that she called him Spencer.

"It's nothing." He attempted.

"Spencer." She said again shifting slightly turning to look at him. "You are feeling guilty aren't you?"

"I can't help it JJ if it wasn't for me, for this, the boys would still have their dad at home with them." He admitted.

"Spencer, I spent almost ten years denying how I felt about you once I found out that Will and I were having a child together, I spent the last seven years being faithful to my marriage vows and would have continued to do so but ultimately it was Will who decided that we were over. He wasn't wrong he deserves someone who can love him completely and we deserve a chance to see what can be with us. Do you hear me Spencer?"

He smiled at her and brushed her hair out of her face, "Well you just called me Spencer four times in one conversation so I know you must be serious. Yes, I hear you, I believe you, and I want the chance to see what can be between us too." He told her before pulling her close for a longer deeper kiss.

"I should probably go." He said reluctantly as he released her.

"You'll come for dinner next Tuesday?" She asked.

He smiled at her, "And the Tuesday after that, and any other time you will have me."

Somehow despite their normal caseload they were able to make it a month of Tuesday night dinners everyone was growing even more comfortable with each other. Spencer and Henry were continuing Harry Potter and he and Michael had a Lego project they were working on together. School was out so there was no homework to do and longer time to play in the backyard. Spencer was surprised by the fact that he looked forward to Tuesday evenings as much as he did his time alone with JJ.

"Mom, can we go get ice cream?' Henry asked one night after dinner.

"Yes, ice cream!" Michael agreed.

"I don't know maybe another night." She hesitated.

"Please Mom, we can go to the park afterwards and show Spence the big slides." Henry pressed.

Spencer looked over at his girlfriend and could easily see what she was worried about, "Hey Guys, why don't you two go play outside while your mom and I clean up the dishes."

"You're on their side aren't you." She said after the boys were out of earshot, already knowing where this was going.

Spencer smiled at her, "Two things, first I really like ice cream, second if we are going to see where this goes at some point it has to go somewhere other than your backyard."

JJ sighed, "I know, it's just this neighborhood is so small, I'm not actually divorced yet, and Will lives the next street over."

Spencer glanced outside where the boys were playing and took the opportunity to pull her close, "JJ trust me I don't like the idea of nosey neighbors or running into Will any more than you do but we can't hide in your backyard forever. Besides I'm not suggesting that we announce our love to the world just merely it's ok that we go outside of your house with the boys together. I mean as far as the boys know nothing has changed between us anyways."

JJ slipped from her arms and walked over to the sink looking out the window where the boys were playing, "I know Spence it's just…" She was interrupted by the buzzing of both of their phones.

"We've got a case." JJ sighed reading the message, "I need to call the nanny."

"It's just what JJ?" Spence asked ignoring the interruption.

"Spence, later, I promise, I need to get the boys settled."

"I should go ahead and get there." Spence said, "I'll tell the boys good bye."

"Spence wait." She said reaching for his hand, "I'm sorry, I promise we'll figure this out when we get back all right? I love you."

"I love you too JJ, now call the Nanny, I'll see you there." He told her as he hugged her and placed a kiss on the top of her head. He went and quickly told the boys goodbye and drove to the BAU trying to switch his mind from JJ and the boys to whatever might be waiting for them.

An hour later the team was sitting around the conference table listening to Garcia brief them on the case when JJ arrived.

"Sorry, it took the nanny a little while to get there" She explained as she sat down at the table next to Tara, she could feel Spence's eyes on her and wondered if anyone else noticed.

"No problem, you can catch up on the jet, we're flying to Austin." Emily explained, "We have two dead families." JJ felt her stomach tighten and as she glanced down at the information on her iPad she knew Why Spence had been watching her, two of the boys were the same ages as Henry and Michael.

Neither of the families had any obvious connections and Garcia had run extensive background checks on both of them by the time they landed. There was nothing that stood out from the ordinary in either one.

"JJ and Reid you guys go to the most recent house, Luke and Tara the first one, Matt, and Dave you guys go to the morgue, and I will head to the police station and talk to the detectives there." Emily instructed them before they landed.

When they walked out of the airport JJ and Spence quickly got into one of the SUVs that was waiting for them and punched the address Garcia had given them into the GPS.

'"Are you all right?" Spence asked her cautiously knowing the line in their relationship was now very hard to place at times.

"As ok as I am ever am when it involves kids." She answered honestly. "Are we OK?" She asked him casting quick glance in his direction.

"We're good JJ, we'll figure it all out eventually, don't worry about us." He assured her, "Let's just catch this guy so we can go back to arguing about getting ice cream." He added with a smile.

She smiled back at him and nodded indicating that her mind was now tuned completely to the case awaiting them. They arrived at the house where local officers were waiting for them and allowed them to look around answering their questions the best they could. The both stopped cold when they entered the living room when they spotted a Lego table exactly like Michael's set up in the corner. They fought back their emotions as the officer explained that the boys had been killed first and then the parents.

"He wanted the parents to suffer as much as possible." JJ muttered.

"But why this family?" Spence said looking around the house again for anything that would give him a clue.

"Usually its either something he perceives as the family doing wrong or something that he can't have." JJ answered.

"So which was it in this case?" Reid wondered, "How far away is the other house?" he asked.

JJ looked at the information Garcia had sent them, "About half an hour, do you want to go see it?" she asked.

Reid shook his head, "Not right now, I need a few more minutes here and then I want to go over the evidence for this scene back at the station." He turned and began to walk through each room silently.

"What is he doing?" A young officer asked.

"Memorizing the house." JJ explained

"How long will that take?" the officer asked.

"I'm ready to go." Spencer announced coming back into the room moments later to the stunned look of the officer.

Back at the station they poured over the evidence Spencer carefully studying the pictures of both scenes his mind drifting back to his last several visits to JJ's house. JJ's house was always clean but there was always a trail of evidence of two boys and a mother with a demanding job. There were toys and book in just about every room, laundry that she meant to get to piled up beside the washing machine and piles of shoes by the back door with scattered dirt from the backyard. These houses had none of that, he looked at the picture of Lego table all of the Legos were stacked neatly in one section of the table not one Lego out of place.

"What are you seeing Spencer?" Rossi asked him after watching him flip back and forth between pictures of both scenes.

"It's what I'm not seeing," He answered.

"What do you mean?' Emily asked.

He placed the picture of the Lego table down, "JJ, does the boys' Lego table ever look like this?"

She laughed, "Never, I'm doing good to get them off the floor and back onto the table."

"Exactly, now look at the rest of the of the pictures and think about two kids living in these houses." He explained.

"There's nothing out of place anywhere." JJ commented, "There wasn't even any laundry that needed to be done or put away."

"So what are you thinking that this guy sticks around and cleans the house when he is done?" Rossi asked.

"Or maybe before." Spence said.

Emily punched Garcia's number on her phone, "Penelope check both families for any kind of house cleaning service."

"Neither of them have anything listed on a regular basis." She answered.

"There are plenty of housekeeping services that work on a cash only basis, especially in places like Texas." JJ offered.

"We'll need to get out in the community tomorrow and ask around. It's getting late we should all get to the hotel and get some sleep." She told her team who didn't argue since it was close to three in the morning for their bodies.

Back at the hotel everyone quickly went their separate ways and settled in for some much needed sleep. Spencer had just gotten into bed when he heard his phone buzz.

_I love you_

Spencer smiled he wished he could go to her and hold her, knowing how the pictures of those kids would haunt her dreams tonight.

_I love you, are you going to be all right?_

_Yes, I'm putting on my music and going to sleep. _

Spencer nodded to himself and laid back and closed his eyes, the next thing he knew he heard a knock at his door and heard JJ's voice. He rubbed his eyes and went to open it thinking he should probably feel some awkwardness standing there in his boxer shorts and t-shirt. She handed him a cup of coffee as she walked into his room and he quickly noticed she was in her running clothes and obviously had been running already.

"We've got another family." She explained, "One child this time, Emily wants us at the scene. Can you be ready in fifteen" She asked him.

Spencer nodded, "I'll meet you at the car." He said and then grabbed her hand and pulled her back and into a hug, "We're going to catch this bastard Jennifer, before he hurts anymore families." He promised her and he could feel a couple of tears against his shirt.

"Then we'll take the boys for ice cream." She told him.

"Only if you are ready Love, I'm not going to press you." He promised. "If it's playing in the backyard for another six months I can wait."

Less than an hour later they were walking into the latest crime scene, this time the bodies were still present and they had to take in the sight of the seven year old girl and her parents. The scene was much like the others though, everything was clean toys and books put where they belonged, laundry finished and put away, all the trash cans emptied.

"Spence, I have something." JJ called from the kitchen where she was going through the mother's purse it was a flyer for a house cleaning service. She quickly called Emily and the team met and set up a plan.

Later that afternoon JJ was welcoming a Hispanic woman no larger than herself and similar in age into the house she was pretending to own. With the help of Garcia the house had been quickly decorated with picture of her "family".

"So I photoshopped Reid into some pictures of you and the boys because I thought he would be the most believable." Garcia explained, "I mean nobody's believing those blonde haired boys belong to Newbie or Matt."

"Uh thanks Penelope." She responded somewhat awkwardly.

JJ turned he attention back to the present where the woman was waiting to be shown around the house and said she had time to clean now if JJ wanted, JJ accepted and pretend to work on a laptop while the woman cleaned. Two hours later the woman announced she was finished and JJ paid her.

"Where is your family?" The woman asked her.

"Oh my boys are at day camp and my husband is at work." She explained. "They will be home shortly."

"Have a good day, call again." She told JJ before getting into a van that was waiting for her.

Once the van was out of sight Spencer and Rossi came in the backdoor.

"There's no way that woman by herself killed these families." JJ offered.

"No my money is on whoever is driving her around. This woman might not be a willing accomplice." Rossi said.

"So now what?" JJ asked.

"Now we wait to see if they come back tonight." Spencer answered nervously not thrilled with putting JJ out as bait or with using pictures of Henry and Michael as props in the act of catching a serial killer.

A little while later he pretended to come home with two boys that were sons of one of the officers working the case, from a distance they looked enough like JJ's boys as Spence quickly ushered them in the house and the moment the sun set Emily and Matt met them at the back door and got them out and turned the lights out and pretend to go to bed. Rossi, Luke, and Tara entered the house in darkness and waited with them. Shortly after ten they heard the glass break on the window in the backyard and the unmistakable thud of feet hitting the floor.

"FBI stop right there." Rossi called as Tara turned on the lights. The unsub stopped dropping his gun at the sight of him.

"Where is the woman that was here earlier?" JJ demanded of him.

"We've got her safe JJ" She heard Emily's voice coming through the door, "She was tied up in the van along with her children. She's told is everything, she is undocumented and he was threatening her and her children."

They watched as they led the man out of the house JJ and spencer were the last two and he carefully wrapped an arm around her, "Let's get out of here." He told her escorting her from the house.

It was early Thursday morning when they arrived back at the BAU and Emily ordered everyone home, "I'm taking us off call for the weekend too. Take some time for yourselves and your people. I'll see you all on Monday." She instructed.

JJ and Spence wasted no time exiting the office giving little regard to their usual precautions. Not caring about cameras Spence pulled her into a hug once the elevator doors closed, "I don't ever want to see the boys' pictures at a potential crime scene again." He told her his voice shaking. "I don't like that he even saw pictures of them."

"Me either." She agreed her body shaking slightly. They reluctantly stepped apart as they knew the doors would be opening. "We've got a whole day off, how do you feel about the zoo, pizza and ice cream?"

Spencer smiled at her, "It sounds like the perfect way to spend the day."


	6. Chapter 6

Undivided

Chapter Six

They arrived at JJ's house just as the boys were finishing breakfast with the Nanny.

"Mommy, Uncle Spence!" They cheered excitedly when they saw them.

"It's not Tuesday already is it?" Henry asked knowing that was when Spence usually came over.

"No, it's not, but we both have the say off we thought we could all spend it together." JJ explained.

"How do you feel about the zoo?" Spence asked them.

"Yes!" the both agreed.

"Ok, then you guys need to get dressed and let Spence and I get showered and changed so we can go." JJ told them and they hurried off to their rooms.

"Do you need me for anything else JJ?' Olivia the nanny asked.

"No, Olivia, thank you for everything. Were they all right?" JJ asked.

"Oh they were great as always. I can't wait to see them again." She told them, "It was good to see you again Doctor Reid."

"Please call me Spencer." He offered and she smiled.

"OK, see you both soon." She told them as she left.

"You can use the hallway bathroom to clean up." She offered and Reid nodded taking his bag upstairs and to the shower. He smiled at the sounds of the boys talking about the zoo ad what they hopped to see. He was glad he had some casual clothes packed in his bag to change into. After her showered and changed he found JJ in the kitchen and smiled at the sight of her in shorts and a tank top with her hair pulled up in a ponytail. He stood for several moments watching her from the doorway as she moved about the kitchen. Eventually she felt his eyes upon her and turned towards him.

"What?" she asked him as she studied the smile on his face.

He shook his head a looked around, not spotting the boys crossed the kitchen to her and wrapped his arms around her. "It's another conversation for another day, just know you amaze me." He said before kissing her quickly and turning her lose. "Are we ready to go? Do you need any help?" He asked when he spotted that she was packing up a picnic.

"I'll finish this if you will go make sure the boys have shoes on and that Michael went to the bathroom." She answered.

"All right boys, who can find their shoes first?" He asked walking into the living room. JJ smiled listening to their exchange one of the things that surprised her the most about him was how good he was with kids. It's not what you would expect from a genius who had an unconventional childhood but he was a natural with them.

They arrived at the zoo just as it was opening the boys chattering excitedly about what animals they would see first, finally deciding on the pandas. They took their time through the exhibits Henry liked the reptile house best and Michael the gorillas. At one point JJ left the boys with Spencer while she went to get tickets to an movie they were showing on the rainforest and came back to find them in the gift shop. Michael was holding the largest stuffed gorilla she had ever seen and Henry had what seemed to be at least three different books on reptiles. Spence was happily handing the woman at the counter his credit card and the boys were beaming over their new acquisitions.

"Look Mommy, a new friend!" Michael told her happily.

"I see and Henry are there any books left on reptiles?" she asked with a laugh.

"No, Uncle Spence told me to get them all." Henry responded already studying one of them intently.

"Spence, you didn't have to…" She started but he cut her off.

"I know but I wanted to." He said with a smile. "Come on let's go see the movie."

They settled into the theater and as soon as the lights went down she saw Michael leave his seat and reached for him expecting him to come sit in her lap, instead he climbed up in Spence's lap and settled in with the stuffed gorilla. Within a minute he was sound asleep in Spence's arms. Henry cozied up on the other side of her and she began to feel the emotions of the last case begin to slip away.

After the zoo they headed back towards JJ's house and the boy's favorite pizza place. Spencer knew this had to be a place that they use to visit with Will a place that would be full of neighbors and potential questions.

"Are you sure you are OK with this?" He asked quietly and she simply responded by giving his hand a quick squeeze.

They were quickly seated and ordered a cheese pizza for the boys and veggie one for the adults. The boys showed Spence the arcade games for which Spence happily supplied quarters.

They had just finished eating and packing up their leftovers when the door to the restaurant opened and Will walked in.

"Daddy!" The boys yelled excited to see them. "We went to the zoo with Mommy and Uncle Spence!" Michael told him.

"Oh, that's great, I was just getting a pizza to go." Will offered doing his best not to look in the direction of JJ and Spencer while hugging his sons. "I can't wait to spend the weekend with you guys."' He told them and then finally looked over at JJ and Spencer, "Uh, JJ could I talk to you for a minute?"

JJ looked from Spence, to the boys, to Will, and back to Spence. "Do you mind taking the boys to the car?" she asked Spence.

"Of course not, Henry can you grab the box?" He asked as he scooped Michael up in his arms knowing that was the easiest way to get him to the car.

Will waited until Spence and the boys were out before speaking, "So I guess this is it now? You and Reid out with the boys, family day at the zoo? Pizza at our place?"

"Will, it's not like that…"she started.

"Then what is it Jennifer?" He asked defensively.

"Well, I guess it is a little like that. We got home from a really hard case and had the day off and we both wanted to spend it with the boys." She explained.

"How much time is he spending with the boys? How often is he over? Is he spending the night?" Will interrogated.

"Will! Where is this coming from? No, Spence isn't spending the night. The boys aren't even aware yet that our relationship has changed." She explained.

"So it has changed." Will said flatly.

"Will, what did you expect?" She asked softly.

"I'm sorry JJ, I guess I figured you were seeing each other I just wasn't expecting to see you out together, especially with the boys." He explained.

"Will, Spence has always been part of the boys' lives and he stayed away when you moved out but that wasn't fair to the boys. This is new to all of us and we are still trying to figure it out." She did her best to explain gently.

Will nodded, "I'll see you tomorrow when I come to get the boys, goodnight Jennifer."

"Goodnight Will." She said still feeling a little unsettled by the conversation.

She joined Spence and the boys in the car and they drove the short distance back to her house the boys still talking excitedly about their day and the animals. As excited as they were they were also tired and went to bed quickly and JJ and Spence found themselves on the lounge chair on her back porch once again. JJ was leaning back against him as Spence was gently massaging her shoulders.

"You want to talk about it?" Spence asked gently.

"Will?" she asked knowing that's what he meant, "He wasn't prepared to see us out together, especially with the boys."

"Maybe you were right and we should keep things more private for a while he suggested.

"No, you were right Spence we can't hide in my backyard forever, not if we are really going to see where this goes and I think one thing I've realized over the last few days is I really want to see where this can go."

"Remember when I told you I had three or four futures that I could imagine?" He asked her. JJ nodded waiting for him to continue. "This morning when I walked into the kitchen and saw you standing there getting ready for us to have a day together with the boys. That was from one of those futures. Not just any future that was from the future that I went to…" he hesitated and then he saw the softness in her blue eyes waiting for him to continue. "That was the future I went to in my head when I was in prison. Thoughts of you and the boys as farfetched as they seemed at the time were literally what kept me going Jennifer."

"Spence" Was all she could say before taking his face in her hands a kissing him. "So many nights during that I would lie awake and the only future that I could see was one without you and I refused to accept that. That was when I could no longer lie to myself about my feelings for you."

Spencer lifted her into his lap and she wrapped her legs wrapped around him and their lips crashed together in a desperate hungry kiss their hands roaming freely over the other's body. Spence's lips moved down her neck and his hands up under the back of her tank feeling the softness of her skin and pulling her even closer. She leaned her head back encouraging his lips further down her neck along her collarbone to the soft skin above her breast as her hands wove through his hair.

"I need you JJ, I need you in every part of my life, and I always have." He whispered trailing his kisses back up her neck to her mouth turning whatever words she was about to say into low moan of desire. His hands moved slowly from her back to her breast over the top pf her bra. There was no space left between them and the feel of his desire pressing against her core combined with the way his hands were massaging her breast was about to send her over the edge in her backyard.

"Spence." She said weakly trying to get her thoughts out as she gently pushed back from him and the way his dark eyes looked at her with desire almost caused all of her thoughts to cease, "Maybe we should take this upstairs." She managed breathlessly.

He pulled back from her slightly looking at her lips swollen, her skin flushed and eyes full of desire for him and if it hadn't been for the ever increasing throbbing between his legs he might have thought he was imagining the entire thing.

"Tonight, here, your bedroom?" He asked uncertainly.

JJ laughed, "Well it's a little more private and comfortable than my backyard."

"But the boys…" He thought

"Are sound asleep and the door locks." She said leaning into kiss him again.

Spence let out a soft groan as he slowly moved her off of his lap, "I know it's just…" He hesitated then continued, "JJ that was yours and Will's room and bed and I know it might sound silly but…" He stopped when JJ kissed him again.

"But you want our first time to be just us?" She asked with a smile of understanding.

"Well to be honest I have enough nerves about this without bringing all of that into it." He admitted with a laugh.

JJ smiled and scooted back into his lap wrapping her arms around his neck, "You didn't seem so nervous a few minutes ago."

"You definitely help with my nerves.' He said before kissing her again, 'The boys are with Will this weekend, right?"

JJ began slowly kissing his neck, "Two full nights." She confirmed between kisses finally meeting his eyes again with a smile before climbing out of his lap and standing up next to the chair and offering him a hand. They kissed goodnight at her door and JJ promised to be over as soon as Will picked the boys up the next day.

She arrived at his apartment just after lunch the next afternoon he didn't answer the door when she knocked so she used her key and let herself in. She walked into the apartment and found him asleep on the couch. There were books on the coffee table and one laying open on the floor next to him that he had obviously dropped when he had fallen asleep. She picked it up and was surprised when she saw it was a book on helping kids through divorce, she glanced around at the others on his table and looked at the titles there was one on basic child development, one nurturing children's emotional and mental health, and one on blended families. JJ looked at them in amazement, was this how he had spent his day off? Reading up on how to be even better with her children than he already was? She smiled as she looked at the sleeping face on the couch and slowly pushed his hair back from his face.

"Hey Sleepyhead." She whispered before brushing her lips across his and smiling as she watched his eyes flutter open. He startled slightly when he saw her sitting up and rubbing the sleep from his face.

"Hey, I'm sorry I must have dozed off, I meant to put all of this away before you got here." He said glancing nervously at the books. "I mean I didn't want you to think…" He stammered.

"To think what that you love me and my kids and that you spent one day off taking them to the zoo and then your next day off trying to understand them and their needs better? Yeah that's definitely not the kind of thing a girl likes to catch her boyfriend doing." She said with a wink moving the book from his hand a laying down next to him on the couch.

"I just mean a couple of those touch on topics we haven't gotten to yet and I don't want you to think I am rushing you or overstepping my relationship with the boys." He explained.

She reached for the blanket laying at the bottom of the couch and pulled it up over them snuggling closer to him laying her head on his chest. "The only thing I'm bothered by at the moment is that you were taking a nap without me." She said letting out a yawn. "Everything else is perfect." She felt him place a kiss on top of her head as she allowed her eyes to close as she felt the warmth of his body next to her.

She had no idea how much time had passed when she felt his slight stubble rub against her as her was kissing the side of her face. "Who's the sleepyhead now?" He asked as she slowly opened her eyes and smiled at him and the way his hand was lazily running along her side under her shirt. She reached her arm around his neck and pulled him into a kiss. He pulled her closer wanting her back as close she had been the previous night. Her fingers wove into his hair again as his lips once again explored her neck. He stopped for a moment causing her to open her eyes, "I love you Jennifer." He said.

"I know, I've always known." She assured him as she felt him begin to unbutton her shirt and continue his kisses down until her reached her black lace bra and she smiled when she heard him moan at the sight of it and she took a minute to pull his face back up so he could see her eyes again. "It's brand new, just for us." She explained.

He responded by lowering his head back to her breasts kissing each one over the delicate black lace before retuning upwards to her mouth swallowing his name as she said it in a whimper. He slowly stood up from the couch pulling her up with him and guiding her to his bedroom while they kissed and she removed his shirt. By the time they reached his rom they were both fumbling with the others pants. He unbuttoned her shorts and they dropped to the floor by his bed revealing black lace panties that matched her bra.

"You are so beautiful." He told her as he laid her on his bed removing his own pants and joining her as he took in every part of her and she did the same to him both of them trying their best to savor the moments as long as they could until the need for release became too great and they came together.

After a second nap, and the shower that JJ had been thinking about since the first time she had been in his they finally found their way back into some clothes and decided to head out to dinner. They ate dinner at a place around the corner from Reid's apartment. Usually they were cautious when out in public even if they were on "dates" since their relationship was still not public knowledge and the likelihood of running into someone from the bureau. Tonight though given their afternoon they found it more difficult to keep their affection under control. They were just leaving dinner when JJ was teasing Spence about something when he grabbed her around the wait and she let out a squeal. Spence was about to kiss her in the middle of the crowded DC street when they heard a familiar voice call their names. They spun around quickly to see Luke and his girlfriend Lisa coming towards them down the street.


	7. Chapter 7

Undivided

Chapter Seven

"Do you think they saw anything or suspect anything?" JJ asked when they arrived back at Spencer's apartment after their run in with Luke and Lisa.

Spencer shrugged, "I don't know, maybe?"

JJ looked at him in disbelief, "How can you be so calm about this Spence? He could know or he could tell the entire team!"

Spence sat down on the couch and motioned for her to join him, "First of all at worst from the distance where they were he saw us hug, something we've done in full view of the team plenty of times. Second, if he does suspect something Luke isn't going to say anything that's not his style, third if he did say something it doesn't bother me. I love you Jennifer and everyone is going to find out eventually."

JJ sighed and finally sat down on the couch next to him, "It would be nice if I was actually divorced before they found out." She pointed out defensively.

Spencer pulled her into his arms, "That should be any day now, why do I think that's not what's really your biggest concern?" He prodded.

"What if they make one of us leave the BAU?" She asked. "Someone is always looking for a reason to break up our team."

Reid shook his head and then placed a kiss on top of her head, "There is no FBI policy against fraternization of agents within the same department."

JJ smiled and him as she moved into his lap facing him, "Is that what we are doing fraternizing?" she asked leaning into kiss him.

"Yes, this would most defiantly count as fraternizing." He told her between kisses.

They spent the rest of the weekend was spent lazily around Spence's apartment reading, and talking, and with JJ planning Michael's fourth birthday party which was coming up in a few weeks. Early on Sunday morning JJ rolled over in bed and kissed Spencer.

"I've got to get to breakfast." She told him.

He sat up in bed next to her and kissed her softly, "Tell the boys I'll see them on Tuesday if we don't have a case and call me after they go to bed. I'll see you at work tomorrow"

"I love you Spence." She said before giving him one last kiss.

They had barely reached the office on Monday before they found themselves on the jet to Atlanta to investigate a series of murdered women. Spence and JJ both wondered what Luke was thinking after seeing them together on Saturday night and also wondering if the rest of the team could pick up on the change in their relationship. Emily handed out directions to everyone sending JJ to the police station to help the chief with the local press that was already out of control and pairing Spencer with Luke to visit the most recent crime scene.

An awkward silence filled the black SUV Luke was driving as they made their way to the crime scene. Growing uncomfortably nervous Spencer began to fill the silence with facts about Atlanta's crime rate, racial diversity, and history. Finally Luke interrupted him.

"Reid, its fine I'm not going to tell anyone that I saw you and JJ out the other night." He said with a grin. "Is there anything that you want to tell me?" He asked his grin growing wider.

"Oh that, we were just having dinner the boys were with Will and she wanted some company." Spencer fumbled in the most unconvincing manner.

"Reid, I know I might not be the most experienced profiler on the team but what I saw the other night wasn't just company." Luke said.

"We are good friends, best friends really." Spencer said truthfully.

"I've noticed, Reid when you were in prison JJ was willing to move Heaven and Earth, and battle all the forces of Hell to get you out. I'm not sure the woman ate or slept, every day that you were in there it was like a little piece of her died. I'm not sure that everyone else saw it because they were so close to both of you, but to me it was obvious I was looking at a woman that was afraid of losing the man that she loved." Luke explained gently.

Spencer stared out the window knowing there was no way he could deny what that time had done to the both of them. "Nothing happened between us until after Will asked for a divorce. JJ would never…" he finally added feeling some kind of need to speak on her behalf.

"What happened when doesn't matter to me, just know I'm happy for you two, I really am." Luke assured him before adding, "And everyone else will be too when you are ready for them to know."

Spencer nodded feeling a rush of relief when they arrived at the crime scene, grateful to be out of the personal conversation. All three victims had been found in Piedmont Park over the course of one month. They seemed to have been taken late on a Friday night from one of the clubs nearby and their bodies found early Monday morning.

"Were any of the victims reported missing?" Emily asked when the team had assembled back at the police headquarters later that day.

JJ shook her head, "The second one was by her boyfriend. He was out of town on a guys' weekend. He said she had returned his text over the weekend, but not his phone call. When he got home Sunday evening he said there was no sign that she had been home since Friday. He went straight to the police and her body was found the next morning."

"But the other two weren't?" Rossi questioned.

"No, both other victims lived alone, the first one left the bar alone late on Friday, she was supposed to meet some girlfriends for brunch on Sunday but sent a message through their group chat saying she wouldn't be able to make it. Also her mother said she called her on Saturday but just got a text saying she would call her later."

"Chances are when we get to interview friends of the third victim at least one person got a text from her over the weekend." Spencer added.

"Have their phones been recovered?" Tara asked.

"No, but I already have Garcia on it." Emily answered. "Assuming he keeps to his time table we have four days to stop him before he takes another woman. Let's get to work. JJ and Reid you take the third victim find out if anyone heard from her this weekend, Tara and Luke talk to the boyfriend of the second, Rossi and I will continue to look for links between them while Garcia is trying to get access to their phones."

JJ and Spencer discovered that just like the first two victims the third had supposedly sent text over the weekend. She had texted back with a friend declining an invitation to go out Saturday night and two generic work related text saying she would get back to them on Monday.

"All three victims appear to have been killed late Sunday night on the weekends they were taken." Tara said as they met back up later that evening. "Two of the three lived alone and the third's boyfriend was gone for the weekend, how did the Unsub know this?" 

"The victims had to be planned not random. Someone with a spouse or roommates would have been missed sooner." JJ added, "And he had to know the boyfriend was out of town."

"It has to have something to do with their phones." Rossi mused. "What if he was somehow monitoring them from their phones?"

Emily quickly called Garcia, "Penelope had our victims downloaded any of the same apps lately?"

"Well, let me see, diet apps, no that was just two of them, they used different ride share apps, wait it looks like all three had some local check in rewards app that supposedly gave you reward points for doing things around the city."

"That had to be it, download the app and he could begin to monitor them and find his victims," Spencer added, "Penelope, how many downloads does the app have?"

"In Atlanta around 10,000." She answered.

"Can you narrow it down by gender and age?" Luke asked, "To match our victims?"

'Several hundred." She said, "uh oh.."

"Uh oh what?" Rossi asked.

"There are different versions of the app for different cities." Penelope explained. "Austin, D.C., and San Francisco, all have versions."

"Meaning if this is how he's doing it he's prepared to pick up and go to a new city at a moment's notice." Emily quickly concluded. "Can we get the app shut down?"

"That takes a lot of doing and a lot of court time." Penelope answered. "The developer had to leave a clue behind let me do my thing and track him." She said before hanging up.

It was getting late, "Let's call it a night and hope Penelope has something for us in the morning." Emily told them and they all left to go back to the hotel.

The next morning it was Spencer knocking on JJ's door to tell her that Penelope was ready to brief them. She opened the door on her phone and motioned for him to come in. He sat down on her bed and listen to her talk to who he assumed was Henry on the phone.

"No, I don't think we will be home tonight, I'm sorry, Well maybe Spence can come to dinner another night this week. Yes, he's on the trip with me, hold on." She paused and turned to Spence, "He wants to talk to you."

Spencer looked at her in surprise, "Hi Henry, how are you?"

"Why aren't you coming to dinner tonight? The next Harry Potter book came and we are supposed to start it." Henry reminded him.

"I know Henry, I was looking forward to it too, like your mom said though, I can come over when we get back we can start. All right?" Spencer did his best to reassure the boy while feeling the pain of guilt for not being there.

"I guess, I have to go, Olivia says it's time to leave for day camp. Bye Spence, bye Mom." Henry said before hanging up.

Spencer handed JJ back her phone, "Does it always feel this bad?" He asked her.

JJ Reached for his hand and pulled him up in front of her smiling as he wrapped his arms around her waist, "Needing to be in two places at once? Yeah, but you learn to be really present when you are with them." She told him.

"I hate that I disappointed him." Spencer added with his own look if disappointment. JJ wrapped her arms around his neck and pulled his head down for a kiss.

"I love you Spencer Reid, now come on we've got an unsub to catch." She told him as she turned him loose but smiling when she felt him grab her hand and pull her back.

"I love you Jennifer, you and your boys." He added before kissing her quickly.

Thirty minutes later they were in a conference room listening to Penelope's briefing. It turns out the app developer had offices in all three cities that the app had a version of.

"Meaning he probably travels to these three cities frequently." Luke summated.

"Which also means he is at least mid-level or higher in the company if he travels between their offices. A lower level employee wouldn't do that." Spencer pointed out.

"He's most likely not in the upper levels of management he wouldn't have to social skills to hold that kind of position long term." Rossi added.

'We've got another body." Emily announced coming into the conference room. "It's only Tuesday, he's escalating which means he probably knows we are here. We need to catch him before he heads to another city."

The day produced very few results the latest victim had been taken on Saturday night meaning before the team had arrived. So they were unsure of the reason for his escalation. The design company had not been helpful saying that they had no proof that their app was the cause. Shortly after dinner a uniformed officer walked in carrying a small package.

"Agent Reid, this was just delivered for you." He said handing it to him.

"Perfect, thank you, Emily I need about thirty minutes to take care of something. Is that all right?" he asked.

Emily looked at him with a questioning look but simply nodded her head, "Of course, everything all right?"

"Yes, I just have to follow up on something." He responded taking the package with him. JJ watched him go wondering what her boyfriend was up to, having the distinct impression it was not related to the case.

Forty five minutes later JJ was knocking on the door to a small office where she found Spence. "Hey are you coming back?" She asked noticing he was hanging up his phone and shoving whatever had been delivered to him in to his bag.

"What are you up to?" she asked with a grin.

"It's nothing." He did his best to assure her but she had already reached his bag and was pulling something out.

"Spence…" She said in disbelief holding a copy of Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets. "Have you been in here reading to Henry?"

Spence just shrugged, "But when did you get a copy?" She asked.

"I ordered it online and was able to get same day delivery." He said as if it was no big deal.

"You ordered it on line?" She asked in complete disbelief knowing his extreme avoidance of all things digital, "Spence have you ever ordered anything on line before?"

"Well no, but this seemed important, I know you said it would be fine, and I know there will be times that I disappoint Henry and Michael but if there is any way I can avoid it I want to and this was a time I could avoid it." He shrugged again, "Oh but I might have charged it to your account because I don't' actually have one so I owe you twelve dollars." He explained.

"We have to go back to work but know that I love you more than I will probably ever be able to tell you." JJ told him before walking out of his room with him close at her heels.

"I've got something!" They heard Garcia's voice as they entered the conference room. "I started thinking about how this company had offices in these different cities and I did some checking. Each of these cities have had at least one murder matching our unsub's MO over the last three years. Our lovely home of DC has had three. I cross referenced the dates of the murders with names and travel dates of employees. I only found one employee who was in each city at the same time as the murders. I am sending his information to you right now."

"Let's go." Emily declared as she went to notify the local police of their discovery and the team sprang into actions.

In the early morning light their plane was taking off from Atlanta back home to DC. The Unsub had been arrested after they found all of the victim's phones in his apartment.

"They'll never stop keeping souvenirs." Rossi sighed. "At least sometimes that makes our job a little easier.

Now they were all trying for a quick nap on the flight home over the top of his book Spencer watched JJ slip in her headphones before reaching into her pocket and smiling when she felt his note. She glanced around briefly, Tara was already asleep in the seat next to her and nobody else was looking anywhere near her. She slowly pulled it out.

_I meant what I said before, I know eventually I will disappoint the boys but I plan to do whatever I can to avoid it. Same goes for you Jennifer, I know this won't always be easy between us and I know there are a lot things we still have to figure out, but know that I'll do everything I can to keep from hurting you. I love you Jennifer and I'm in this for as long as you will have me. _

JJ glanced across the aisle of the jet to where Spence was now pretending to sleep. She knew he could feel her gaze because his lip twisted into the slightest smile. She felt herself smile as she carefully placed the note back in her pocket and started to close her own eyes when she felt another set of eyes on her. She turned slightly and saw Luke watching her, their eyes met briefly and he offered her a smile and a nod before closing his eyes. She closed her own eyes and slept peacefully for the remainder of the flight home.

TBC


	8. Chapter 8

Chapter Eight

"JJ wake up." Spencer whispered softly as he brushed her hair from her face and kissed her cheek. They had only gotten in bed a couple of hours ago returning from a case in Oklahoma. The boys had been with Will and she had come home with him both of them crashing into bed and falling asleep immediately. JJ simply grumbled something unintelligible and pushed him away.

"Love, we've got to get up, Michael's birthday party is today and according to you there are still a million things to do. Although by my account and according to your actual list there are only fifteen." He rambled.

"Spence," She said rolling over her eyes still closed.

"Yes?" He asked.

"Be quiet and make coffee." She muttered pulling the blanket back over her head.

Spence smiled and rolled out of bed and padded to the kitchen and began making coffee while searching for something that would pass for breakfast. He found a couple of bagels and was about to put one in the toaster when he heard JJ come into the kitchen.

"Fourteen" She said smugly wrapping her arms around his waist. "There are only fourteen items on my list Dr. Reid"

Spencer turned around wrapping her in his arms and pulling her close, "I added one in my head." He explained as he captured her lips quickly kissing her deeply.

"Spence…" She moaned when eventually they stopped for a breath, "I have to have everything ready by one."

Spencer smiled at her kissing her again, "I've broken the entire list down by how long each task will take and I can explain to you exactly how we have time to get it all done and have time for this or we could spend the extra three minutes on this." He told her.

JJ laughed before pulling his head back down for a kiss, "I hope you accounted for plenty of time." She whispered.

"Trust me, I did." He assured her as he lifted off the ground, instinctively she wrapped her legs around him as he carried her back to his bed.

At thirty minutes to one they were standing in JJ's backyard looking at the display. "It looks great JJ, Michael is going to love it." Spence told her as he wrapped his arms around her.

"Well it wouldn't have happened without your well timed organization." She smiled before kissing him. "What's going on in your head?" She asked noticing a peculiar look cross his face.

He shrugged a little, "It's just we are spending the afternoon off work with all of our friends and the boys and we have to act like nothing has changed between us. It feels like we are lying to them."

"Spence, the boys don't even know what's going on with us." She reminded him.

"That's part of the problem JJ. I don't like feeling like we are sneaking around. It's been six months since Will moved out, your divorce is finalized. I want to be able to put hold your hand in public without worrying who might see us. To not steal kisses and worry that the boys might see. I want it not to matter if people see how much I love you when I look at you." He told her the frustration evident on his face.

They were interrupted by the sound of the boys and Will coming through the house.

"JJ?" They heard Will call first.

"Mommy! Spence!" Michael exclaimed running, "its party day!"

JJ picked up her younger son hugging him and Henry made a bee line for Spence. Who quickly wrapped him in his arms. "Are you ready to assist with the magic show?" He asked the older boy.

"Yes, I've been practicing!" He assured him.

"Hi Will." Spence offered his hand to the other man who hesitated just for a minute before accepting it.

"Hi Spencer, it looks great back here, Jennifer is there anything I can do to help?" Will asked.

"We can start bringing the food out." JJ answered glancing at Spence who was lost in conversation with Henry about the magic show. He felt her eyes on her and looked she could read the look in his eyes that said, "Just think about it."

It wasn't long before guest began to arrive, all of Michael's friends from preschool and their parents, and of course the entire BAU team. The party was loud and fun, between the magic show and hosting guest JJ and Spence had kept their distance during the party. JJ had come into the kitchen to refill one of the party trays when she heard Michael begin to cry from outside. She looked through the window to see the newly turned four year old overwhelmed with party excitement sitting down crying. She was about to go to him when she watched Spence crouch down next to him and hold out his arms. The boy went to them burying his head in Spence's neck. Spence picked him up and carried him to one of the chairs in a quiet corner of the backyard talking softly to him.

"He's a natural with them." Emily's voice came from behind her. JJ didn't turn around but continued watching Spence cuddle Michael who was now giggling about something.

"Yeah, it's one of the things that still surprises me about him." She muttered.

"He and Henry did a great job with the magic show." Emily continued.

JJ felt a smile cross her face, "They've been practicing for weeks."

"So what did you and Spence fight about before the party?" Emily asked nonchalantly.

JJ spun around, "What? Why would you say that?"

Emily laughed, "Because you've been have avoiding each other all afternoon. At first I thought it was just you two trying not to keep things hush hush still, but I think there's definitely something else. Let me guess, he wants to go public and you aren't sure yet."

JJ stood staring at Emily her mouth hanging open, "Emily…what…I mean how did you know…"

Emily laughed, "JJ, I've been there through it all with the two of you, there is no one in this world that knows the dynamics of JJ and Spence better than I do."

"How long have you know?" JJ asked glancing back at the backyard where Michael was now happily playing and Spence was talking with Rossi and Garcia.

"That you were in love with him? Probably longer than you did. That eventually the two of you would be together? When you got him out of prison. That you were together? Since the case in Austin." Emily answered. "So what's holding you back from letting it be known?"

"I guess I worry people will think it's too soon." JJ answered, "They'll think I was cheating on Will and I don't want that for Spence or for me."

"Screw what other people think. The people that matter to you know you and Spence and are going to be thrilled for you. You've spent the better part of fifteen years pretending not to love each other, why are you making yourself spend any more time that way?" Emily said gently before hugging her.

"JJ, Michael is asking about his cake." Spence said quietly from the doorway.

The two women stepped apart as JJ wiped a tear from her eye. Emily headed to the backdoor stopping and pulling Spencer into a quick hug. "I'm on your side." She whispered before returning to the backyard.

"Spence will you go tell everyone I'm coming with the cake?" JJ asked.

"Sure." He answered somewhat confused about what had happened.

The party was winding down and only the BAU team remained in the backyard laughing and carrying on like they had so many times over the years. JJ watched Spence laughing and joking with Garcia and Alvez about something. She took a deep breath and walked over to them slipping her hand into Spence's. He looked down at her and smiled.

"You were right, and I'm sorry." She said.

"I love you." He answered her not carrying that Penelope and Luke were standing right there as he wrapped his arm around her and placed a kiss on top of her head and she rested it against his chest. The couple then turned their attention back to Penelope who was standing there with her mouth wide open uncharacteristically speechless.

"Can someone please tell me what's going on?" Penelope finally squealed out.

"I'm in love with him." JJ answered looking back up into Spence's eyes amazed at how good it felt to say it out loud.

"Well yes I know that I just thought it was something we were never going to talk about. When did we decide it was ok to talk about?" Penelope asked.

"Right now." Spencer answered dropping a kiss on JJ's lips which caused more squealing and finally drew the rest of the team over to them.

"Dr. Reid is there something that you would like to share with the rest of the class?" Rossi asked with a smile as they gathered around.

Spencer smiled as he pulled JJ closer still, "I'm in love with her." Spencer said too much cheering from the team. "I think this calls for dinner and wine!" Rossi announced and called over to Henry and Michael, "Boys let's see what we can cook for dinner."

JJ wasn't sure how Rossi whipped up the meal he did, but after Tara and Luke made a quick run to the grocery store for more wine and a few ingredients they were all seated on make shift tables in JJ's yard, the boys on either side of JJ and Spencer.

Rossi stood and raised his glass, "To love and the complicated, rocky path that it takes us down. To never letting go of it once you find it and to knowing that you have a family of people surrounding you that have your back every step of the way."

"To love" Everyone echoed holding up their glasses in celebration JJ and Spencer kissed causing giggles from the boys and groans from some members of the team.

"All right, we get it you two but come on already." Luke teased causing Lisa to slap him playfully. Eventually the dinner party broke up and they saw their guest out. Michael was fast asleep on a chair in the backyard and Henry didn't look like he was far behind him.

"I've got Michael." Spence said picking the smaller boy up and preparing to carry him to his bed.

"Spence?" Henry asked.

"Yes Henry?" He answered.

"Can you come read with me after you put Michael in his bed?" He asked softly.

Spencer smiled at him, "Of course, go get ready for bed and I'll meet you in your room."

A few minutes later they were sitting together in Henry's bed about to start reading when Henry asked him a question, "Do you love mom the way my dad use to?"

Spencer hesitated for a minute wondering if JJ should be there for this conversation but didn't want to make Henry feel bad for asking. "I guess you could say that Henry, I mean every love is different and what your mom and I share is different than what she and your dad share."

"But you love her in that romantic kissy kind of way right?" Henry pressed.

Spencer swallowed now worried where the conversation might be going. "Yes, that is part of it." He answered truthfully.

"But what if you stop loving her that way? Will you go away? I don't want you to go away Spence." Henry said with a nervous look in his eyes.

Spencer hugged the boy tightly, "Henry, I love you and I have since the moment I held you in the hospital and I will always be here for you. I love your mom very much and your brother and nothing is going to change that either."

Henry seemed satisfied with his answer and held the book out for Spencer to begin reading, They had only gotten about halfway through the chapter when he realized the boy was asleep. He quietly crept from his room and joined JJ on the couch downstairs. She snuggled up next to him relaxing after their day.

"I should probably go and let you get some sleep." Spence said after a few minutes.

JJ pulled back and looked at him, "We should both go upstairs and get some sleep." She corrected standing up and offering him her hand.

"JJ…" Spencer hesitated.

"Spencer, listen to me, I had to get over my concerns with telling the team you're going to have to get use to staying the night here. I mean unless you want me and the boys moving into your apartment." She laughed.

"What are you saying JJ?" He asked.

"I'm saying I don't want you to go home and I don't want to spend more nights apart when we don't have to. Spence I want you to move in with me and the boys." She explained.

"What about Will?" Spencer asked. "Is he going to be bothered if I'm living with the boys?"

JJ shock her head, "I called while you were putting the boys to bed, he said he realized watching you all together today how much you love them and he's fine with whatever we decide. I told him that the three of us could tell them at breakfast tomorrow."

Spencer blinked a few times staring at her in surprise, "You want me to come to breakfast in the morning? That's your and Will's time to be with the boys."

"The point of Sunday breakfast is to show the boys we are still parenting together and that we are a team. Spence I want you as part of that team." She said suddenly growing nervous he might say no.

Instead he kissed her slowly and softly thinking about how much had changed in just a few hours.

"You realize that I haven't lived with any one since I was 18 years old right? I might be really bad at it and you might want to kick me out." He told her.

JJ laughed, "Well you're going to be moving into a house with two boys and all of their mess so you might want to move out in two days."

Spencer shuddered a little, "I'm getting better with the mess, I think." He laughed.

JJ kissed him, "Come on let's go to bed, you're going to learn how early they get up in the morning."

JSJSJSJSJSJSJSJS

In between cases over the next few weeks they began the process of moving Spence into JJ's house. They donated most of his furniture but the issue they were running into was what to do with all of his books. JJ knew that storage wasn't the answer and they needed to be somewhere safe from the boys. JJ came up with a plan and waited for a weekend that the boys were with Will and Spence was out of town leading a seminar. At seven on Saturday morning Dereck Morgan was standing in JJ's dining room with almost every tool that he owned.

"You know you are never going to be able to build enough bookshelves for all of the kid's books right?" He asked her.

"I know, I just want him to have a place that he can feel like is his. He's moved into this house that is crazy half the time with two kids making messes and being loud. I want him to be able to have a place that he can go and read and study in somewhat quiet."

"Somewhat, with Hank there's never quiet I can't imagine with two how it must be." Derrick laughed.

"It's nonstop and Spence has been an absolute trooper but I want him to have this." She explained.

"You're a good woman Jennifer Jareau. He needs you, he always has. I'm just glad you guys have managed to work it all out." He told her.

JJ smiled thinking back to the first night that they had dinner with Derrick and Savannah. She had been so nervous, if there was anyone on the planet more protective of Spence than she was it was Derrick. He loved him like a very protective older brother. There were times she felt as he had disapproved of their closeness over the years, especially after she and Will got married. He had never said anything but she had felt it.

_It was two weeks after their date to the Cherry Blossom Festival so things were still very new and unsure with the two of them when he asked her. 'Derrick and Savannah asked me to come to dinner tomorrow night." He mentioned casually, "I told Derrick that I was dating someone and he said I should bring her." _

"_You didn't mention that I was the someone?" She asked_

"_No, not yet, but I will tomorrow night but I'd really like it if you were there when I did." He told her honestly. "You, my mom, and Derrick have been the three most important people in my life. I want to be able to share this with him." _

_JJ smiled and kissed him, "Of course I will go." _

_Looking back on that night they both felt like a couple of teenagers meeting the parents for the first time. Spence held her hand as they walked to the door ringing the bell with his free hand then placing it over their joined ones. They heard Derrick's voice coming through hall. _

"_Come on Hank, your Uncle Spencer is here and I think he brought someone." He said before opening the door. "Little brother…"he was saying as the door was opening stopping a shocked look on his face at the sight of JJ on his front porch. _

"_Hi Derrick" She offered weakly. _

"_JJ" Derrick uttered still in disbelief but he quickly hugged them both warmly showing them into the house. _

_After dinner Spencer and Savannah were discussing a medical research study that she was helping with when Derrick said, "Let's let them have their genius time, we can go outside." _

_Standing outside Derrick with a beer and JJ with a glass of wine JJ took a deep breath and spoke first. "Go ahead and ask your questions." She offered. _

"_Do you love him or are you getting over Will? Because that man has been in love with you for fifteen years and you cannot go breaking his heart." Derrick warned her. _

"_Derrick I have spent the last fifteen years trying not to love Spence. First because neither of us were ready then I met Will, then I got pregnant with Henry and I thought I had to try with Will. It seemed for years everything was pulling us apart, pushing us back together, and then pulling us apart again."_

"_So what changed? Why now?" Derrick asked._

_JJ took a long drink of her wine and told him everything. She told him about what it was like to visit Spence in prison, to believe she would never get him back, then how she almost lost him a year later to that cult, and then when she had finally told him that she loved him while they were being held hostage. _

"_It was like once that happened the floodgates opened and there was no going back." JJ told him. "Derrick, I have no intention of letting Spence and I be pulled apart again." _

_Derrick smiled and hugged her, "That's all I need to know JJ. I love you and The Kid both and I want you two to have all the same happiness that Savannah and I have, God knows you both deserve it." _

Derrick worked nonstop all day Saturday and was back over first thing Sunday morning completing the job. The dining room table was gone, custom made bookshelves had been installed covering the walls, French doors were installed so that when he wanted to Spence could close off the noise of the rest of the house. The centerpiece of the newly designed office was Diana Reid's old desk that Spencer had kept all of these years.

JJ and the boys were just finishing dinner in the kitchen when they heard Spence's keys in the door. They ran quickly to the office to surprise him.

"Hey Guys." He called as he closed the door. "Where is everyone?"

"We're in your office!" Henry called out.

"My what?" Spence asked with a laugh walking in the direction of Henry's voice stopping when he reached where the dining room had been when he left on Friday.

"Surprise!" The three of them yelled, Michael running to him for a hug. Spence picked the boy up looking around in disbelief.

"JJ, what is this? How did you get it done?" he asked.

"It's your office and I had a little help from a friend." She answered. "Do you like it?"

Spence ran his hand over his mother's desk and set Michael down so that he could take her into his arms. "This is without a doubt the most wonderful thing anyone has ever done for me." He told her before kissing her.

"Welcome home Spence." She told him.

TBC


End file.
